India
Indian Republic भारत गणराज्य Bhārat Gaṇarājya | |
|---|---|
| Motto: "Satyameva Jayate" (Sanskrit) Devanāgarī: सत्यमेव जयते Template:IPARef ("Truth Alone Triumphs") | |
| Anthem: "Jana Gaṇa Mana " /ʤənə gəɳə mənə/ | |
| Location of India | |
| Capital | New Delhi |
| Largest city | Mumbai |
| Official languages | Hindi, Sanskrit, English, Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Maithili, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Santali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu |
| Government | Federal republic |
| A.P.J. Abdul Kalam | |
| Manmohan Singh | |
| Independence From the UK | |
| 15 August, 1947 | |
• Republic | 26 January, 1950 |
• Water (%) | 9.56 |
| Population | |
• 2005 estimate | 1,103,371,000 (2nd) |
• 2001 census | 1,027,015,247 |
| GDP (PPP) | 2005 estimate |
• Total | $3.633 trillion (4th) |
• Per capita | $3,344 (122nd) |
| HDI (2003) | 0.602 medium (127th) |
| Currency | Rupee (Rs.)1 (INR) |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+5:30 (not observed) |
| Calling code | 91 |
| ISO 3166 code | IN |
| Internet TLD | .in |
1 Re. is singular, Rs. is plural | |
India (Hindī: भारत Bhārat), officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second most populous country, and the largest democracy in the world. India has a coastline of over seven thousand kilometres[1] and borders Pakistan to the northwest; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north-east; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. India is adjacent to the Indian Ocean island nations of Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Indonesia.
India has been home to advanced civilization since 3300 B.C., when the inhabitants of the Indus River valley developed an urban culture based on commerce and sustained by agricultural trade.[2] Over the milleniums, the subcontinent became a centre of important trade routes, cultural development and vast empires. Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism all have their origins in India, while Islam and Christianity enjoy a strong cultural heritage. Despite countless invasions over the past 5000 years, Indian culture and society has been so resilient, that it has either thrown away or completely absorbed any foreign influences, with the social fabric largely remaining unchanged and intact. India emerged as a modern nation-state in 1947, when the subcontinental populace expelled all British rulers in an intense movement of social reforms and forged it into a single nation, thus restoring the glory of the past Indian empires. Modern India's population, wildlife, geographical terrain and climate system are among the most diverse in the world, and India is now considered a possible candidate to be an emerging superpower.
Etymology
The name India /'ɪndiə/ is derived from Indus, which is derived from the Old Persian word Hindu, from Sanskrit Sindhu, the historic local appellation for the Indus River. The Constitution of India and common usage recognise Bharat (), as an official name; India is also recognized with equal status. A third name, HindustanTemplate:Inote () (Persian: Land of the Hindus) Template:Inote has been used since the twelfth century, although its contemporary use is unevenly applied. In ancient times, India was also known by the name Hind, a shortened from of Hindustan.
History
Stone Age rock shelters with paintings at Bhimbetka in the state of Madhya Pradesh are the earliest known traces of human life in India. The first known permanent settlements appeared over 9,000 years ago and gradually developed into the Indus Valley Civilization, dating back to 3300 BCE in western India. It was followed by the Vedic Civilization which laid the foundations of Hinduism and other cultural aspects of early Indian society. From around 550 BCE, many independent kingdoms and republics known as the Mahajanapadas were established across the country laying the foundations of ancient India.
The empire built by the Maurya dynasty under Emperor Ashoka the Great united most of modern Southern Asia except the Dravidian kingdoms in the south. From 180 BCE, a series of invasions from Central Asia into the north-western Indian Subcontinent followed, including the Indo-Greeks, Indo-Scythians, Indo-Parthians and the Kushans. From the third century CE, the Gupta dynasty oversaw the period referred to as ancient India's "Golden Age." While the north had larger, fewer kingdoms, in the south there were several dynasties such as the Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Hoysalas, Cheras, Cholas, Pallavas and Pandyas in different times and regions. The political influence of these mighty southern kingdoms, though felt to a lesser extent by north India, extended into Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka and deeply influenced their culture. The southern kingdoms remained relatively more stable and carried out maritime trade in spices and precious gems with the Arabia, China and Europe from ancient times. Science, engineering, art, literature, mathematics, astronomy, religion and philosophy flourished under the patronage of these kings.
Following the invasions from Central Asia, between the tenth to the twelfth centuries, much of north India came under the rule of the Delhi Sultanate, and later the Mughal dynasty, who gradually expanded their reign through most of the Indian subcontinent. Nevertheless, several indigenous kingdoms flourished,in the west and the south, such as the Maratha Empire and Vijayanagara Empire. From the sixteenth century onwards, several European countries, including Portugal, Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom, started arriving as traders, and attempted to establish colonies in the subcontinent, taking advantage of the fractious nature of relations between thousands of kingdoms. Portuguese sailor/explorer Vasco Da Gama is the first European landed in India on May 27, 1498. at the place named Kappad, a famous beach near Calicut,-one of the oldest business city in South-eastern India. By 1856, the British East India Company by signing treaties with the myriad kingdoms, tried to unite the subcontinent in an attempt to make it a single large territory under the British Crown. A year later, a nationwide insurrection of rebelling military units and kingdoms, known as the Rebellion of 1857 broke out. This shook the British East India Company, however, the lack or an organized leadership weakened the rebellion, and put the British back in power. The British then started taking steps to ensure that such an uprising would not repeat itself. Over the next few decades, the task of modernizing India's social laws, infrastructure and governance was undertaken. Attempts were made to integrate the Indian upper castes into the government by raising a native bureaucracy. It was during this time that the railways, western-style educational institutes, and other industries were established.
By the early twentieth century, a nationwide movement for social reforms and self-governance was launched by the Indian National Congress, and various revolutionary groups. The movement was largely led by Mahatma Gandhi, with Maulana Azad, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Shaheed Sukhdev, Shaheed Rajguru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru, Bipin Chandra Pal and Subhash Chandra Bose playing important roles. Millions protested in various mass campaigns of civil disobedience with a commitment to ahimsa or non-violence. Finally, after the Quit India massive civil disobedience movement during WWII, and a number of mutinies in the armed forces after the war, India expelled all the non-natives and emerged as a modern democratic nation-state on 15 August 1947. Three years later, on 26 January, 1950, India ratified a new Constitution, and became a republic.
Since it became a modern democratic nation-state, India has seen sectarian violence and insurgencies in various parts of the country, but has maintained its unity and democracy. It has unresolved territorial disputes with China, which escalated into the brief Sino-Indian War in 1962; and with Pakistan, which resulted in wars in 1947, 1965, 1971 and in 1999 war in Kargil. India is a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement and the United Nations. In 1974, India conducted an underground nuclear test. This was followed by five more tests in 1998. Significant economic reforms beginning in 1991 have transformed India into one of the largest, fastest-growing economies in the world.
Media
The Indian Express is a Indian newspaper owned by Ramnath Goenka. It was started in 1931 by Chennai based Veradharajulu Naidu. After his death the group was split in 1999 among his family members into two with the southern editions taking the name The New Indian Express, while the old Indian Express name was retained in the northern editions based in Mumbai with a prefix "The". It is published in all major Indian cities.
The Indian Express is owned by the Indian Express Group, which also owns other newspapers in India such as the Financial Express, a newspaper focused on the Indian economy, stock markets, and fiscal policies. The group has other publications such as Screen weekly, the Marathi-language daily Loksatta, and the Hindi daily Jansatta.
Government
| Flag | Tiranga | |
| Emblem | Sarnath Lion | |
| Anthem | "Jana Gana Mana" | |
| Song | "Vandē Mātaram" | |
| Animal | Royal Bengal Tiger | |
| Bird | Indian Peacock | |
| Flower | Lotus | |
| Tree | Banyan | |
| Fruit | Mango | |
| Sport | Field Hockey | |
| Calendar | Saka |
India is referred to as the largest democracy in the world, by virtue of the fact that it has the largest electing population among democratic countries. The country has a federal form of government and a bicameral parliament operating under a Westminster-style parliamentary system. It has three branches of governance: the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary. The President is the head of state, though he has a largely ceremonial role to play. He is also the Supreme Commander of India's armed forces. The President is elected indirectly by an electoral college for five-year terms. Presidential assent is needed for a Bill or Ordinance passed by the Parliament to come into force. The Prime Minister is the de facto head of government, and has most executive powers. He or she is appointed by the President, with the requirement that he or she enjoy the support of the party or coalition having more than 50% seats in the lower house. The Union Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister aids and advises the President on governance matters.
The legislature of India is the bicameral Parliament, which consists of the upper house called the Rajya Sabha (Council of States), and the lower house called the Lok Sabha (House of People). The 245-member Rajya Sabha is chosen indirectly through the state Legislative Assemblies, and has a staggered six-year term. Each state sends members to the Rajya Sabha in a proportion of its population. The 545-member Lok Sabha is directly elected (Some seats are reserved for Caste based system) by popular vote for a five-year term (except two nominated Anglo-Indian members), and is the determinative constituent of political power and government formation. Universal adulthood suffrage is guaranteed by the Constitution for citizens above 18 years of age. The executive arm consists of the President, Vice-President, and the Council of Ministers (the Cabinet being its executive committee) headed by the Prime Minister. Any minister holding a portfolio must be a member of either house of parliament. In the Indian parliamentary system, the executive is subordinate to the legislature.
India's independent judiciary consists of the Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice of India. The Supreme Court has both original jurisdiction over disputes between states and the Centre, and appellate jurisdiction over the eighteen High Courts of India, and additionally, the power to declare Union and state laws null and void if in conflict with the Constitution.[3]
Politics
For most of its democratic history, India has been governed by the Indian National Congress. The party enjoyed a parliamentary majority barring two brief periods during the 1970s and late 1980s. This rule was interrupted between 1977 to 1980, when the Janata Party coalition won the election owing to public discontent with the "Emergency" declared by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The Janata Dal won elections in 1989, but its government managed to hold on to power for only two years. Between 1996 and 1998, there was a period of political flux with the government being formed first by the right-of-centre, nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) followed by a left-leaning United Front coalition. In 1998, the BJP formed the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) with smaller regional parties, and became the first non-Congress and coalition government to complete a full five-year term. The 2004 Indian elections saw the left-leaning Congress party winning the largest number of seats to form a government by leading the United Progressive Alliance, and supported by communist parties and those opposed to the BJP.
Since emerging as an singular democratic nation-state, India has maintained cordial relationships with most nations. It took a lead in the 1950s in advocating the independence of European colonies in Africa and Asia. During the Cold War, India tried to maintain its neutrality and was one of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement. After the Sino-Indian War and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, India's relationship with the Soviet Union warmed at the expense of ties with the United States and continued to remain so until the end of the Cold War. India has consistently refused to sign the CTBT and the NPT to maintain sovereignty over its nuclear program despite criticism and military sanctions. Recent overtures by the Indian government have strengthened India's relations with United States, China and Pakistan. In the economic sphere, India has close relationships with other developing nations of South America, Asia and Africa. In recent years, India has played an influential role in the SAARC. India has been a long time supporter of the United Nations, with over 55,000 Indian military and police personnel having served in 35 UN peace keeping operations over four continents [5]. Since the 1990s, India has been considered an emerging power on the global stage, meaning it has increasing influence on international affairs.
Administrative divisions
Administratively, India is divided into twenty-nine states (which are further subdivided into districts), and six union territories (or territories owned by the Central Government). All states and the union territories of Delhi and Puducherry have elected governments. The remaining union territories have centrally-appointed administrators. The states and territories are further divided into 602 districts.
Geography
The territory of India constitutes a major portion of the Indian subcontinent, situated on the Indian Plate, the northerly portion of the Indo-Australian Plate, in southern Asia. India's northern and northeastern states are partially situated in the Himalayan Mountain Range. The rest of northern, central and eastern India consists of the fertile Indo-Gangetic plain. In the west, bordering southeast Pakistan, lies the Thar Desert. The southern Indian Peninsula is almost entirely composed of the Deccan plateau, which is flanked by two hilly coastal ranges, the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats.
India is home to several major rivers, including the Ganga, Brahmaputra, Yamuna, Godavari, Kaveri, Narmada, and Krishna. India has three archipelagos – Lakshadweep off the southwest coast, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands-volcanic island chain to the southeast, and the Sunderbans in the Gangetic delta in West Bengal.
Climate in India varies from tropical in the south to more temperate in the Himalayan north, with elevated regions in the north receiving sustained snowfall in winters. India's climate is strongly influenced by the Himalayas and the Thar Desert. The Himalayas, along with the Hindu Kush mountains in Pakistan, provide a barrier to the cold winds from Central Asia. This keeps most of the Indian subcontinent warmer than most locations in similar latitudes. The Thar Desert is responsible for attracting the moisture laden southwest monsoon winds that provide most of India's rainfall between June and September.
Economy
The economy of India is the fourth largest in the world as measured by purchasing power parity (PPP), with a GDP of US $3.63 trillion. When measured in USD exchange-rate terms, it is the twelfth largest in the world, with a GDP of $785.47 billion or Rs 35,34,615 crore in 2005, as calculated by the World Bank.[6] India is the second fastest growing major economy in the world, with a GDP growth rate of 9.3%, and annual Industrial production change of 12.4%, as of the first quarter of 2006. Wealth distribution in India, a developing country, is fairly uneven, with the top 10% of income groups earning 33% of all income.[7] India's per capita income (PPP) of US$ 3,400 [8] is ranked 122nd in the world. It is calculated by the IMF that by 2007, the Indian economy will be ranked 3rd measured by PPP, See : List of countries by GDP estimates for 2007 (PPP)
For most of its democratic history, India adhered to a quasi-socialist approach, with strict government control over private sector participation, foreign trade, and foreign direct investment. Starting from 1991, India has gradually opened up its markets through economic reforms by reducing government controls on foreign trade and investment. Privatisation of public-owned industries and some sectors to private and foreign players has continued amid political debate.
India has a labour force of 496.4 million of which 60% is employed in agriculture or agriculture-related industries which contributes to only about 22% of the GDP, 17% in mainstream industry and 23% in service industries. India's agricultural produce includes rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes. Major industries include textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum and machinery.[8]
India's large English speaking middle-class has contributed to the country's growth in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). It is becoming a major base for US tech companies for future targeted research & development, including the likes of Google, IBM, and Microsoft. All this has helped the services sector to increase its share of the economy to approximately 50%.
India is also a major exporter of financial, research and technology services. India's most important trading partners are the United States, China, UK, Singapore, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland and Belgium.[8]
Demographics
India is the second-most populous country in the world with an estimated 1.1 billion people in 2006.[9] Language, caste and religion are determinants of social and political organisation within its diverse population. Although 81.5% of the people are Hindus, India is also home to the second-largest population of in the worldChristians (25.33%), Muslims(.002%), after Indonesia. Other religious groups include Sikhs (2%), Buddhists (0.76%), Jains (0.40%), Jews, Zoroastrians, Ahmadis, and Bahá'ís.[9] The national average literacy rate is 64.4%(with males-75.6% and females-54.2%). The state of Kerala leads the country with a literacy rate of approximately 94%.
Unlike the USA, UK, and Australian Censuses, the national Census of India does not recognize racial or ethnic groups within India.[10]. But generally there are about 6 different racial groups in India which includes the Indo-Aryans, Dravidians, Mongoloids, Negritos, Pro-Australoids and Western Brachycephals.[1] According to joshua project are more then 1600 different ethnic groups in India.
India's biggest metropolitan agglomerations are Mumbai (formerly Bombay), Delhi, Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), Chennai (formerly Madras), Bangalore and Hyderabad. The national sex ratio is 933 females per 1,000 males and median age is 24.66. India's birth rate is 22.32 births per 1,000.[9] The total fertility rate (TFR) for India is above the world average, however the growth rate is showing signs of decrease in South India.
India is home to two major linguistic families: Indo-Aryan (spoken by about 74% of the population) and Dravidian (spoken by about 24%). Other languages spoken in India come from the Austro-Asiatic and Tibeto-Burman linguistic families. The Indian constitution recognises 23 official languages.[11] Hindi and English are used by the Union Government of India for official purposes, wherein Hindi has a de jure priority. Sanskrit and Tamil enjoy classical language status in India [12]. Recently, the Government of India has stated that it might award the same status to Kannada.[13] The number of dialects in India is as high as 1,652.[14]
Culture
India has a rich and unique cultural heritage, and has managed to preserve its established traditions throughout history whilst absorbing customs, traditions and ideas from both invaders and immigrants. Many cultural practices, languages, customs and monuments are examples of this co-mingling over centuries. Famous monuments, such as the Taj Mahal and other examples of Islamic-inspired architecture have been inherited from the Mughal dynasty. These are the result of a syncretic tradition that combined elements from all parts of the country.
Indian music is represented in a wide variety of forms. The two main forms of classical music are Carnatic from South India, and Hindustani from North India, each of which has several popular sub classes. Popular forms of music also prevail, the most notable being Filmi music. In addition to this are the diverse traditions of folk music from different parts of the country. Many classical dance forms exist, including the Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, and Manipuri. They often have a narrative form and are usually infused with devotional and spiritual elements.
The earliest literary traditions in India were mostly oral, and were later transcribed. Most of these are represented by sacred works like the Vedas and the epics of the Mahabharata and Ramayana. Sangam literature from Tamil Nadu represents some of India's oldest traditions. There have been many notable modern Indian writers, both in Indian languages and in English. Millions of ancient handwritten manuscripts have been identified and classified. India's only Nobel laureate in literature was the Bengali writer Rabindranath Tagore. India is the third largest newspaper market in Asia with an estimated circulation of at least 66 million copies daily in 2003.
The nation also produces the world's largest number of motion pictures every year. Most cinema production are based in Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad. Popular cinema industries are based on regional languages such as Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Bengali, and Kannada languages.
Religious practices of various faiths are an integral part of everyday life in society. Religion in India is a very public affair, with many practices imbued with pomp and vitality accompanying their underlying spiritual qualities. Education is highly regarded by members of every socio-economic stratum. Traditional Indian family values are highly respected, and considered sacred, although urban families have grown to prefer a nuclear family system, owing to the socio-economic constraints imposed by the traditional joint family system.
The cuisine of India is diverse, as ingredients, spices and cooking methods vary from region to region. Rice and wheat are the staple foods in the country. The country is notable for its wide variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisine. Spicy food and sweets are popular in India. Traditional dress in India greatly varies across the regions in its colours and styles, and depend on various factors, including climate. Popular styles of dress include the traditional sari for women and the traditional dhoti for men.
India's national sport is field hockey, although cricket is now the de facto national game. In some states, particularly in the northeast, football (soccer) is the most popular sport and is widely watched. In recent times, tennis has gained popularity in India. Chess is also gaining popularity with the rise of the number of recognised grandmasters. The most [citation needed] commonly held view is that chess originated in India. Traditional indigenous sports include kabaddi[16], Kho Kho and gilli-danda, which are played in most parts of the country.
India is also known as a land of festivals. A melting pot of many religions, India has a rich diversity of festivals, many of which are celebrated irrespective of caste and creed. The most widely known and popular celebrations include the Hindu festivals of Diwali, Holi, Pongal and Dussehra and the Muslim celebration of Eid. A number of festivals are common to most parts of India, however, they may be called by different names in the various parts of the country or may be celebrated in a different fashion and style.
Holidays in India
There are significant amount of holidays in India. The Indian calendar is filled with holidays of different religion, culture, region and states. There are many festive seasons in India. Hindus celebrate numerous amount of festivals like Diwali, Dussehra, Durga Puja, Pongal, Ganapati and many more. Muslims celebrate Id, there are Christians celebrating Christmas, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Jews, Bahai's, Parsis, they all celebrate their own festivals. Some of these festivals are celebrated in many parts of India while many are celebrated in only a certain region.
There are also holidays on days when famous personalities were born like "Gandhi Jayanti" on Gandhi's birthday on 2nd October, then "Children's Day" on Jawaharlal Nehru's birthday, birthday of Guru Nanak, and many more.
There are two national holidays in India, one is the Republic Day on 26th January and another is the Independence day on 15th August. [2]
See also
Template:Topics related to India Template:India ties
Notes and references
- ^ "Foreign Policy of India". Indian Embassy. Retrieved March 24.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "US Department of State Background Notes on India". US Department of State. Retrieved August 19.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Matthew, K.M. (2006). Manorama Yearbook 2003. Malayala Manorama. pp. pg 524. ISBN 81-89004-07-7.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help) - ^ The black line is the boundary as recognised by the government of India. The northern region of Kashmir is currently administered by India, Pakistan, and China (and coloured in as such). The delimiting of the three administered regions is not the international boundary but a ceasefire line demarcated in red. The boundary separating India and Pakistan is known as the Line of Control, that separating India and China as the 'Line of Actual Control'. Most of the state of Arunachal Pradesh is still claimed by China.
- ^ "India and the United Nations". Retrieved April 22.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ ""India 12th wealthiest nation in 2005: World Bank"". The Hindustan Times. Retrieved 2006-07-08.
- ^ "IN PICTURES - Middle Class, or Upper Class? ". India Together. Civil Society Information Exchange Pvt. Ltd.. August 2003
- ^ a b c "CIA Factbook : India". CIA Factbook. Retrieved August 14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c "Census of India 2001, Data on Religion". Census of India. Retrieved August 14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Kumar, Jayant. Census of India. 2001. September 4, 2006. <http://www.censusindia.net/>.
- ^ "Languages of India". India image. Retrieved August 14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Tamil to be declared classical language". The Hindu. 17 Sept. 2004
- ^ "Kannada likely to get classical status" The Hindu dt. 4 October 2006
- ^ Matthew, K.M. (2006). Manorama Yearbook 2003. Malayala Manorama. pp. pg 524. ISBN 81-89004-07-7.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help) - ^ "Oldest Holy city"
- ^ "India pitches for Olympic kabbadi". Rediff.com. Retrieved April 15.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help)
External links
Definitions from Wiktionary
Media from Commons
News from Wikinews
Quotations from Wikiquote
Texts from Wikisource
Textbooks from Wikibooks
Resources from Wikiversity
- Government
- Official portal of the Government of India
- Government of India Directory — Directory of Central and State government websites
- Other
- Template:Wikitravel
- India, an external wiki
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, India - Country Page
- CIA World Factbook article on India
- BBC Country Profile on India
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